Toy building construction.



A. C. GILBERT.

TOY BUILDING vCONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED 050.111.1915.

Patented July 2, 1918 5 SHEETS-SHEET W o o 0 o 0 0 if ea I is i o 0 o o o o o 63 WITNESS 24 m! '15.;VT0R.

A. C. GILBERT.

TOY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED 056.18. I915. 1,270,812. Patented July 2,1918

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A. C. GILBERT.

TOY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.18. x915.

Patented July 2, 1918...

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

A. C. GILBERT.

TOY BUILDING CDNSTRUCTION. APPLICATION min 050.18. ms.

Patented July 2, -1918 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

IN I ICVTOA.

I I TN/SSS UNITED STATES PATENT orrioa.

ALFRED C. GILBERT, OF HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE A. C. GIILBERT COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

TOY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

-. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED C. GILBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of New Haven and tate of Connecticut, have invented certain pew and useful Improvements in To. Building Construction, of which the fol owing is a full, clear, and exact description. 7 j This invention relates to toy building construction, and more particularlyto toy blocks or bricks, and means for holdin them inassembled relation so that brick ouses gand other buildings and structures of toy masonry can'be constructed in a secure and -manent walls.

ermanent manner." The small building locksor bricks are .preferably made of sheet metal in such'a manner asto simulate the bricks or blocks used in large buildings, and they maybe secured in a suitable frame or frames so as .to present one or more per- In'some cases, the toy bricks or blocks may be used as a'facing for a metal frame simulatin the steel framewdrk of a modern fireproo building, and as the toy masonry can be j used to build structures which are readily portable, a toy of considerable value'is provided, particularly as the character, shape .and dimensions of the structures may" be very widely valued according 'to the wishes and ingenulty of the builders Window ,To these, and other ends, the invention consists in the novel features and. combmations of parts to hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompany gdrawmgs,

. Figure 1 isan end elevation o a toy house embodying-my improvements, with the roof 4 and certain other parts omitted in order to Fig. 5" is' a detail perspective view of a frame; .Fig. 6 comprises detail front, rear and side views of one of the sill members;

Fig. 7 is a de'tail e ective view of one of thet'o bricks or bloc Specification of Letters Patent. Pafiented July 2, 1918, Application filed December 18, 1915. Serial No. 87,613.

which such a ing, but, in some cases, the inner skeleton framework may be omitted. However itis usually advantageous on account of .the added strength and rigidity which it provides. I' shall proceed to describe the various details of the particular construction selected for illustration, with the understanding that many features can be changed or altogether omitted without departure from the rinciple of my invention.

The building selected. for illustration is square, and it comprises a skeleton frame-- work built u from the strips shown in my application, erial No. 814,533, filed January 26, 1914, although strips of other kinds may be used if desired. Referring particularly to Fig. 2, the framework at each side of the building comprises upper and lower horizontal strips 20 and upright strips 21.

The strips 20, 21 are arranged square, with their ends overlapped, and the to form a overlapping ends of adjacent strips are interconnected by means of bolts 22. Each side frame composed of the strips 20, 21 is suitably connected at right angles with the I adjacent side frames at either end thereof, and in the particular construction illustrated this is effected by means of angle plates'23' at the corners of the structures,said angle plates being secured by the bolts 22. Thus,

.each bolt 22 holds together a strip 20 and a 'stri 21, and also secures the side frame inclu in said strips, to the adjacent side frame y means of one of the angle plates.

In this way, a simple but strong and rigid framework for the masonry is rovided.

A plied to the lower part 0 the framewor are suitable sill members 24 which serve as a support for the toy masonry. These sill members are preferably clamped along the lower edges of the lower strips 20.

Preferably, each sill member 24 is bolted to th corresponding lower frame member 20 to secure two of the sill members end to end,

means of bolts 25 snares said bolts passing through the lattice work of the strip in the mannerlshown in F1g.l..2 so'as' to clamp the sill securely against displacement.

,-in detai l. inFig, 6; {It comprises a plate or body' portion 27 haying inwardly turned flanges 28 along the margins thereof? The 10 front-of the sill-is'provided with a longituof equidistant perforations 29 of a size to accommodate "the bolts 25. A considerable number ofthe perforations .29 is provided so that the fastening bolts may be placedin any of a large number ofidifl'erent positions. The flanges 28 of the channeled sill are'likewi'se perforated, Being provided with alfongitudinalseries'of perforations 30,

as hereinafter. described, and V they iare in staggered- ,relat ion to the perforations" 2.9, this manner, "anchoring rods 31 for hold- :in'gthetoyTb'ricksin place y held any of .the perforations 1 30 without. .ilnaerfering with 't e passage of fastening screws through any of. the perforations 29; In

order to a$ist in locating the Sill member.

make the sill perfectly sq a at shown, for example, at the lowerleftihand "corner 'ofFig, 2. At theother'end of the 'sill,"1 ;l1elatter is of'forkedshape, the flanges 28 being narrowed as shown .at 28*,1. and .a

square extension 27"! on part 27 being bent inward between the flanges 28. In order the square end of one memberis inserted mm the forked end of the other member, and

- together atright. angles to each other by f means' -ofone of the rods' 3 1...; his. rod passes through openings inzthepl'ates 28? 1 v and' throughre'gistering perforations 30.: in

the end. portion .of the member which is V "straddled by said 'platesgf The deep end.v flange 32 completely fills in and ,finishes 01f the joint, being as deep as the length-of the plates or extensions 28,, andz thu's' a good finish is produced at the crnersinfspite" of the comparative the shallow flanges'128.,.

After the sill members '-'part of the framework have been interconnected at the ends by upright-rods 31:10-

The sill member is preferably "constructed of sheet metal in the. particular forln'shown" These perforations. 30 are of special outline,

' -.."-said members are then suitably interlocked.

Fig. 3 ,1 show two sill memberssecuredly small of metal catedat the corners of the structure, additional rods 31 are then secured in the sill members by engaging the remaining perforations 30 in the side flanges. I order thateach'rod- 31 may be locked in the sill, said rod is provided near its lower extremity" 1. with small, diametrically located wings 31; As the-rod 'is inserted through one of the upper perforations 30 of theisill, the wings 31*. pass through diametrically located outthat the wings 3l 'rest onlthe lowerflange. of

'pass through the perforation gflgengaged by the lower extremity. of-the; ma;- By this construction, thesevera'l rodsfcan he. secured against vertical displacement m the sills withaeither flange of theg sill located: uppermost, it being understood. that'the; perforations 30, 30? of one fl 1 'tical. with those of the other.

, The upright rods'31 serve-as .blocks 33.-;' These bricks or blocks are pref-.

erablyv constructed of sheet" provided with two perforations, 34stof en-"-. gage two adjacent anchoring rods. Preferj ably, the blocks'are constructedfrom asheet r 1 metalpblank 35 (Fig. 8) bentinto. shape to present a flat rectangular outerwall 36, with topand bottom flanges 37, and end flanges- 38 and. 39. The perforations 34 previously I mentioned are pierced through the. flanges 37. The flanges 37, 38are of a depth which 15..

I is less,than theewidth of the surface 36, but'-- I block square at-atileasti 'one end. .In this- E manner, a building" ,canbe' properly finished-j 3 off at the' ;corner's; without-I any gaps (a s;

-- shown more particularly-at the left of Fig": .0..

the. flange 39'is square so as to make the 1:1)" in spite'ofthe fact. that the flanges 37,38

rod. In this (case, the upper; and -lower flanges of thejbloc i singlerod-engaging perforation 41.;

., 31 in such}, manner that a row of blocks blocks consists entirely of the full length 1 blocks 33, each of whichris passed over two ofthean'chormg rods or wires, In this man;

'. 'f ner ,.;each -blod: is firmlyheld against dislof 4 ication, either-- laterallyorlongitudinallye]. bloqks of ;the' second course are stag-4, 'gered' with respect to those of asfim away portions 30% in (th d q of Per? foration, after which the -rod'fli m d. 5

the sill, as shown in;Fig-.;10, and' nlot en fw m i g anchoring devices for a' plurality of toy bricksor .j metal bent up into hollow box-like form, said, blocks .be- L j .f' f'ing open at the rear. the of a; full sized block, the upper andlower; walls are; Y

are comparatiyely;-shallow;"JHalf bricks orf'f jhlocks .40, suchasfshowninFig. 9, are gen-E erally similar to thefblocksf but ,BL I'B adapted to engage only afsingle anchoringn5 ki eech iirovw th: 1

In building up a wan; the blocksare I. passedov'er the upper free-ends-of the rods "will be-laid along the j s'ill,*.as' shown, for example, at.. the lower part of Fig. 1. "In'thej; example illustrated, the -lower. course of course, and so on, as usual in brick-laying. After the blocks have been laid to a certain height, a sill 24 may be laid on the top course, said sill being passed over the smooth upper ends of the rods or wires which engage the perforations 30.

In the example selected for illustration, the building is intended to have a sloping roof, and after the four walls have been built up to the roof level the sill members 24 are laid on top of the four walls and interconnected with each other in substantially the same manner hereinbefore described. In this way, each wall consists of a lower sill, a plurality of upright anchoring rods supported thereby, a plurality of blocks passing over and held on said rods, and an upper sill member held on the rods on top of the blocks, but in many cases the upper sill member can be dispensed with.

In Figs. 1 and 5, I have shown a window frame 42 which may be built in with the bricks or blocks if desired. This frame is stamped up from a suitable sheet metal that the frame may be firmly held in place.

So far as structural features go, thewindow frame isof substantially the same charactor-as one of the blocks, as it is fastened in the wall in the same way. Other building elements, such as doors and the like can also be assembled and held in the wall in substantially the same manner herein de scribed. Of course, it is not necessary to make all of the full length bricks 33 with a square end 39, as shown in Fig.' 7. It is only necessary to furnish enough of these particular blocks "to finish off the corners of the building, the other blocks having, short flanges at both ends.

Various changes in the details of the construction may be adopted without depart-' ing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What I claim is 1. In toy building construction, the combinatlon ofa hollow elongated sill member of U-sh'aped cross-section, a plurality of upright anchoring rods secured therein, and

blocks laid on said sill member and having means engaging said anchoring rods; substantially as described.

2. In toy building construction, the combination of a channeled sill horizontally arranged with oneof its side flanges lowermost, a .plurality of upright anchoring rods, extending .downward through the other side flange of said channeled sill, and bloc s laid in courses on said sill and havin perforations engaging said anchoring m s; ubstantiall as described. a

3.- n toybuil ing construction, a chane neled si member constructed of sheet metal and hav ng a longitudinal series of perforations in each of the side flanges thereof, and anchoring rods engaging certain of said perforations so that said rods are sustained from beneath by said sill; substantially as described.

4. In toy building construction, a skeleton framework, a plurality of upright anchoring rods applied to the outside of said framework, and building blocks laid in courses on the outside of said framework, and having means. engaging said anchoring rods; substantially as described.

5. In toy building construction, the combination of a skeleton framework, upper and lower sill members applied to the outside of said framework, anchoring rods secured in and extending between said sill members, and blocks mounted on said rods; substantially as described.

6. In toy building constructiomthe combination of a skeleton framework, sill membcrs applied to the lower part thereof, said sill members of channeled cross-section and 'having perforations through the intermediate portion thereof, bolts passing through said perforations and securing said 8111 members to said framework, the flanges of said sill members provided with perforafrom front to rear, bolts engaging said perforations and locking the sill member to said framework, said sill member having a plurality of vertical sockets, anchoring rods sustained at their lower ends in said -z,ontal perforations extending therethrough sockets, and blocks laid in courses on the sill and having means engaging said anchoring rods; substantially as described.

9. In toy building construction, a channeled member constructed of sheet metal and having alongitudinal series of perforations through the intermediate portionthereof, a longitudinal series of perforations through the side flanges of said sill member and arranged in staggered relation with respect to said first perforations, each perforation of one of said side flanges being in line with a perforation of the other side flange; substantially as described.

10. In toy building construction, a sheet metal; channel member forked at one end and squared ofi at the opposite end 5 substantially as described.

I no

v 11. A toy building blockconstructed from a single sheet metal blank, and having top,

bottom and end walls bent inward from the- .the perforations of the top wall being in registry with those of the bottom wall; su stantially as described. r

12. A toy building block constructed from a single sheet metal blank and having top,

bottom and end walls bent inward from the front Wall'at right angles thereto, each of the top and bottom walls being provided with a plurality of perforations located at difierentpoints in the length thereof, and said block being open at-the rear; substantially as described. o I

- 13. A toy building block having front, top, bottom and end walls constructed from :1, single blank of sheet metal, said block being open atthe rear and. one of the end walls extending farther-back than the other end wall and the top and bottom walls; substantially as described.

14. In a toy building construction, the combination of a sill, a plurality of upright anchoring rods extending upward therefrom, and a plurality of blocks laid on said sill, each of said blocks being constructed of a sheet metal blank having top and bottom walls bent inward from the front wall at right angles thereto, each of said top and bottom walls of the block having perforationsengaging a vplurality of said anchoring,

rods atdifl'erent points in the length of the block, and said blocks being open at the rear; substantially as described.

15. In toy building construction, a channeled sill having a perforation in one of the side flanges thereof, said perforation having a cut-away portion in the'ed e thereof, and

an anchoring rod having a, literal projection or win adjacent. one end thereof, said rod adapte to pass through said perforationwhen said projection 01' wing is in registry with said cut-away portion; substantially as described. g

16. In toy building construction, a side frame comprising four'strips arranfed to form a rectangle and. having their a jacent ends overlapped, boltsinterconnecting said strips at theirwverlapped ends, a second side frame similarly constructed and disposed at a right angle to saidfirst frame,

and angle members interconnecting said for holding as described.

frames and clamped in place by the which interconnect the strips of the individ ual frames; substantially as described.

17. In toy building construction, the commetal blocks laid on said sill in courses and having rearwardly. turned flanges with perforations engaging said anchoring rods;-

substantially as described.

18. In toy building construction, the combination of a channel member having a bifurcated end, a second channel member en- .gaged in the bifurcated end portion ofthe first'channel member and straddled thereby,

and means for securing said two members :together; substantially as described.

19. In toy building construction, a-skele ton framework, building blocks laid in I 7 courses on the outside of said framework,

and anchoring rods on the outside of the framework extending through the blocks-- the same in place; substantially 20. In toy building construction, a skeleton framework, a plurality of anchoring rods applied to the outside of said framework, and sheathing means held in placeby the anchoring rods; substantially as de- I flange registering with a perforation of the other-flange, and a central longitudinal row of perforations in the intermediate or body portion of said member, the perforations of said last rowbeingarranged in staggered relation tothose of the other rows; substantially as described.-

22. In toy building construction, a sheet metal channel member having a forked end with perforations in the opposite sides of the fork; substantially-as described. I

23. In toy building construction, a sheet metal channel member having a forked end,

a second sheet metal channel member arranged at right angles to the first and straddled by said forked end, and means for securing said two. members together; substantially as described;

Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 11th day of December, 1915.

ALFRED c. GILBERT. I 

